Langho and Billington St Leonards Church of England Primary School

Church of England Primary School

Dates of inspection: 10 th - 13 th March 2003

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Church of England Primary School

Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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Church of England Primary School

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. St Leonard's CE Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Whalley Road Langho Blackburn Postcode: BB6 8AB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Reverend Steve Cooper

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 9 th February 1998 St Leonard's CE Primary School

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mr S. G. Evans Registered inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Physical education What sort of school is it? How high are standards? How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? Mr L. Kuraishi Lay inspector Inclusion How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Mrs T. Galvin Team inspector English as an additional language English Design and technology History Music Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development.

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mrs S. Russam Team inspector Foundation Stage Special educational needs Science Art and design Geography How good are curricular and other opportunities?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

TWA Inspections Ltd 102 Bath Road Cheltenham GL53 7JX

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St Leonard's CE Primary School

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Saint Leonard's is a Church of England Voluntary Aided primary school with 211 pupils on roll aged 4 to 11, with more or less an equal number of boys and girls. The school is situated between the villages of Langho and Billington, north of Blackburn, Lancashire. The school is nearly the same size as other primary schools nationally. More parents want their children to attend the school than there is room for. The school has identified 9 per cent of pupils as having special educational needs. This is below the national average. Three pupils have a statement of special educational need. This is proportionately the same as that found in most primary schools nationally. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals is below the national average. Just over 5 per cent of pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds. A very small number of pupils speak English as an additional language. The number of pupils who start or

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

leave the school other than at the normal dates varies greatly from year to year and from class to class. For example, in 2002 the figure for the school as a whole was in line with the national average of 11 per cent, but in Year 6 there had been a 53 per cent change in the class since Year 2.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school, with very good features. It gives good value for money. Good teaching ensures all pupils learn well. Children make a very good start in the reception class. By the end of Year 6, inspection evidence indicates that pupils attain standards that are well above average in mathematics and English. Standards in science are in line with the national average. They achieve well in physical education. There is a very caring and supportive atmosphere in the school and pupils feel very valued and secure. The leadership and management of the school are good.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Pupils achieve well by the time they leave the school. They achieve very well in writing and mathematics. Pupils' good achievement is due, in part, to the high proportion of good, very good and excellent teaching. • The pupils like school very much, and this is reflected in an attendance rate that is well above the national average. Their attitudes to school, their behaviour and their relationships with one another are all very good. This positively affects their academic achievement and personal development. • The support the school provides for pupils with special educational needs is very good, so that they achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. • Provision for pupils' personal development is good. The experiences provided for their moral and social development are particularly strong. • The headteacher, very ably supported by the senior management team and governors, leads and

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Although improvements are imminent, outdoor facilities for supporting the learning of children in the Foundation Stage are unsatisfactory. • As identified in the school's current development plan, the quality of marking is not of a consistently high quality. The area for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in February 1998. The improvement made since then is good. Further improvement has been constrained by key staff leaving for promotion in quick succession. The school is very well placed to build upon the improvement it has made. Standards are higher than at the time of the last inspection, when they were reported as requiring some improvement. For example, standards in writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6 were reported as average and they are now well above average. A key issue from the last inspection was to improve the quality of teaching. The school has dealt very successfully with this key issue. Last time, 14 per cent of lessons were very good or excellent, whereas now 44 per cent are very good or excellent. Also, there is no unsatisfactory teaching now compared with 9 per cent last time. There has been good improvement in the special educational needs

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

provision and the provision for pupils' personal development. The result is that pupils' attitudes, behaviour and relationships with one another are better. The quality of the leadership and management of the school have been maintained, and the governing body's role has improved significantly. The quality of the accommodation, learning resources and the school grounds has improved very markedly. St Leonard's CE Primary School

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English B B A C well above average above average A B Mathematics A C B D average below average C D Science B C D E well below average E

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STANDARDS

Although the grades comparing the school with similar schools suggest that pupils have under-achieved in the past, this is not the case. Pupils enter school with levels of attainment that are in line with those expected nationally. Inspection evidence indicates that pupils achieve well by the time they leave the school in relation to their prior attainment. In comparison with all schools nationally, the inspectors judge that standards in English are similar to those above for 2002, and writing standards in particular are high. Standards are well above average in mathematics and average in science. Science standards are improving significantly as pupils move through the school because the quality of science teaching is good. By the end of Year 6, pupils attain above national expectations in physical education, and in line with national expectations in other subjects. Taking the last three years together standards are above the

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STANDARDS

national average. Although improvement since the last inspection has not been at the same rate as that found nationally, the current rate of progress is good. Children in reception make good progress. They are on course so that by the end of reception they are likely to attain standards that are above national expectations in their personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world and their creative development. They attain standards in line with national expectations in mathematical and physical development. The inspection evidence indicates that by the end of Year 2, pupils attain above average in English, mathematics and science. English standards are higher than those attained in last year's national tests. Over recent years, a very significant number of pupils have joined or left the school during Years 1 and 2. This has adversely affected

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STANDARDS

standards. By the end of Year 2, pupils attain nationally expected standards in other subjects. The rate at which pupils make progress accelerates to good in Year 2. Taking Year 2's national test results of the last three years together, standards have exceeded the national average. They have been satisfactory in relation to similar schools. Throughout the school, ethnic minority pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language, make similar progress to their classmates. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. Pupils capable of attaining high standards achieve well. There is no significant difference in the attainment or achievement of boys and girls. This year's targets for what pupils are to achieve by the end of Year 6 are high and very challenging.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils enjoy coming to school very much. They are eager to learn and try hard to do their best.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour in lessons and breaktimes is very good. Pupils are sensible, courteous and polite, and they respect all adults in the school and one another.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Personal development is good. Pupils respond very well to opportunities that they are given to take on responsibilities. The school council extends very effectively pupils' understanding of citizenship. Relationships within the school are very good.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Pupils' attendance rate and punctuality are very good. St Leonard's CE Primary School

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Quality of teaching Very good Satisfactory Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is good and there were no unsatisfactory lessons. High quality teaching enables pupils to learn effectively. Teaching is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2, with much good and very good teaching in Year 2. Principal strengths throughout the school are that teachers have very good relationships with pupils, have high expectations of them and manage them very well. They know the subjects well. The teaching of numeracy skills is very good, and the teaching of literacy is good. Teachers ensure that pupils know what they are to learn so pupils are clearly focused and concentrate well. Teachers make good use of resources and work well with their assistants. Teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good, as is that for pupils capable of attaining high standards. Teaching of pupils who learn English as an additional language is good. A weakness of teaching is the lack of a consistent

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

system for measuring the progress pupils make in lessons. The quality of the marking is too variable. There are some very good examples of helpful marking, but this is not consistent. Also, the ways teachers check and record pupils' learning in the 'silent reading sessions' are not consistently effective from class to class in Years 3 to 6. Teachers' expectations of how pupils present their work are also not consistently high enough in all classes.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a satisfactory range of learning opportunities throughout the school. Pupils' learning is greatly enhanced by a very good range of learning opportunities outside lessons.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. Pupils identified as having special educational needs participate fully and with confidence in all their learning.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Pupils at the early stages of learning English as an additional language are given good support. They are fully included in all aspects of school life.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good moral and social development, and good spiritual and cultural development. The school has an atmosphere of mutual respect where adults and pupils alike trust each other, can express their views confidently and take others' views seriously.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares very well for the pupils. Very good procedures are in place for child protection and health and safety matters. The results of tests and checks on pupils' progress are used satisfactorily to prepare targets for the school and for individuals.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Links with parents The school has effective links with parents. The information provided by the school to parents is good, especially through reports, meetings, workshops and target setting. The school involves parents well in the learning of pupils with special educational needs. St Leonard's CE Primary School

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher, very ably supported by the senior management team, together provide very good leadership and management of the school. Subject co-ordinators provide good leadership in the subjects for which they are responsible and manage them satisfactorily.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body, very well led by the chair of governors, fulfils its responsibilities very well. Governors take an active role in helping to shape the direction of the school through strategic planning. They are fully committed to and supportive of the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Monitoring and evaluation of performance are very good. There is an effective analysis of standards, frequent checking of progress towards meeting targets in the school improvement plan and regular observations of teaching and learning in literacy and numeracy. The monitoring, evaluation and support of teaching and learning are less effective in subjects other than literacy, numeracy, science and physical education.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Very good. There is a very clear link between development planning and finance. Priorities are entirely relevant to school. The school applies best value principles effectively within their financial planning process. The great improvement in the accommodation and school grounds and the significant improvement in resources for supporting pupils' learning reflect the very good use of funds available to the school. It is a great credit to the school that they achieved this at the same time as they eradicated the deficit budget, which existed at the time of the last inspection. Although, outdoor facilities for Foundation Stage children are unsatisfactory, the school has imminent plans to improve them.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents returned 115 questionnaires. This was 54 per cent of those sent out. Seventeen parents made a written response. Twenty-five parents attended the pre-inspection meeting for parents.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Their children like school and their children make good progress. • The teaching is good and the school has high expectations for their children. • Their children behave well at school. • Homework provision is appropriate. • The school is very easy to approach with concerns and the school works closely with parents. • The school is well led and managed. • The provision for their children's personal development is good. • The range of extra-curricular activities is good. • A significant minority of parents feel they are not well enough informed about their children's progress. • A few parents believe the school does not work closely enough with them. • Some parents feel there are insufficient extra- curricular activities.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents think very highly of the school. Inspectors agree with the positive features identified by the parents. There is an annual report of good quality, formal occasions when parents discuss work with teachers and times when teachers discuss how pupils are taught. The headteacher and teachers are available to meet with parents informally to discuss any issues or concerns that a parent might have. Inspectors feel that these arrangements are at the least as good as other schools and are sufficient to keep parents informed about their children. Inspectors agree with the vast majority of parents that the school is very keen to involve them fully in the life of the school. The school provides a wide range of activities outside of the normal lessons. St Leonard's CE Primary School

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Children enter the reception class with early skills in reading and mathematics that are in line with those expected for this age. However, this does vary from year to year, from below to above expected levels. Children's achievement by the end of the Foundation Stage is good because the teaching is good and often very good. Therefore, by the end of the reception, most of the children attain above the expected standard in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. Their attainment in mathematical and physical development is at the expected level.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Pupils achieve well by the end of Year 2 compared with their prior attainment. They make most progress in Year 2. Inspection evidence indicates that standards in writing, mathematics and science are above the national average. In reading, pupils attain average standards. Pupils are on course to attain satisfactorily in the 2003 tests in relation to schools similar to Saint Leonard's, as they did in the 2002 tests. Standards are higher in English than those attained by Year 2 pupils in the 2002 national tests. Standards of attainment appear to have declined since the last inspection. However, when pupils' attainment by the end of Year 2 is compared with their prior attainment it shows that pupils make at least satisfactory progress. One of the main reasons for the apparent decline in standards is the increase in the percentage of pupils who either leave or arrive in the school between reception and Year 2. For example, last year this figure

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

was 57 per cent. This high mobility rate adversely affects standards. Taking the results of the last three years together, standards have exceeded the national average. By the end of Year 2, pupils attain nationally expected standards in art and design, design and technology, geography, history, information and communication technology and music. Inspectors made no judgement regarding standards in physical education because no lessons were observed in Years 1 and 2. In all subjects, boys and girls attain similar standards to one another.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Inspection evidence indicates that by the end of Year 6, pupils attain well above average standards in English and mathematics and average standards in science. In science, standards achieved by younger pupils, especially those in Years 4 and 5, are considerably higher and if they continue to maintain current rates of progress they are on course to achieve well above average standards by the time they leave the school. Standards in mathematics and science are higher than those attained in the 2002 national tests. Year 6 pupils are on course to attain at least satisfactorily in relation to similar schools. This is an improvement on the below average attainment in the 2002 tests. Pupils' standards of literacy and numeracy are very good. There is no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls. Throughout the school, ethnic minority pupils attain similarly to their classmates.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Taking Year 6's last three years' results together, standards are above the national average. Although improvement since the last inspection has not been at the same rate as that found nationally, the current rate of progress is good. Judging a whole year group's achievement over time is a complex issue because so many pupils either start or leave the school between Years 2 and 6. For example, in last year's Year 6 class, 53 per cent of the pupils had changed in the class since Year 2, compared with the 47 per cent who had been there all the time. The picture is similar regarding the current Year 6. However, in relation to individual pupils' prior attainment, pupils make good progress by the end of Year 6. Another factor that has also adversely affected pupils' progress in Year 6 is the number of different teachers who have taught the class in the last two years. St Leonard's CE Primary School

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

There have been three different teachers because the teachers have been promoted out of the school. The situation is now much more settled, and this is reflected in the good and very good progress pupils are currently making in Year 6.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Standards are higher than those reported on at the time of the last inspection. The main reason for this is the quality of teaching and learning, both of which are now good compared with satisfactory at the time of the last inspection. By the end of Year 6, standards of attainment are in line with national expectations in art and design, design and technology, history and information and communication technology. Standards are above national expectations in physical education. Year 6 pupils have had a limited number of geography and music lessons this year and thus no judgement on standards by the end of Year 6 can be made. In geography, pupils make good progress in their learning by the end of Year 5. This year's targets for what pupils are to achieve in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6 are high and very challenging.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The pupils who speak English as an additional language make good progress in relation to their prior attainment. For example, they mainly work in the average attaining groups in English and mathematics. This is because staff identify their needs quickly and ensure that the work is matched accurately to the pupils’ learning needs. The school’s programme of support for pupils with special educational needs is very good. It is very effectively organised to identify pupils who need additional help in class. This ensures they make at least similar, and sometimes better, progress compared to their classmates. Arrangements for supporting pupils who have statements of special educational needs are effective and ensure they attain standards that are in line with their prior achievements. Pupils who have individual education plans make good progress in meeting their targets and, therefore, their attainment in relation to these targets is good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

7. The school has improved upon the good standards noted in the previous inspection. Pupils' attitudes to learning, their behaviour and relationships with everyone in the school are now very good. This has a very positive effect on their learning. Parents feel that pupils’ behaviour is very good and that their children like school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Pupils of all ages have very good attitudes to the school. They enjoy coming to and being at school. This is very evident in the number of pupils who take part enthusiastically in the extra clubs, such as chess, French and a variety of sports, and in the extra music tuition that the school provides for them. Pupils readily and sensibly take on the responsibilities that staff give them, for example the prefects in Year 6 supervise the pupils at playtimes and in the dining room very well. The school council promotes pupils’ understanding of citizenship very well. The council representatives, who are from Year 6, contribute to the decisions that are taken in the school very effectively. This was evident when they helped to provide very good resources for playtime games. Teachers give pupils the opportunity to work together in lessons, for example in design and technology, information and communication technology and literacy. This has a positive effect on

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

pupils’ personal development as well as their learning. This was very evident in a literacy lesson when groups of Year 5 pupils worked together with enjoyment to perform a rap poem.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Most pupils’ behaviour is very good. This is because they respond very well to teachers’ expectations of how they should behave in lessons and around the school, for example, at playtimes, in the dining hall and when moving to and from lessons. Pupils are courteous and polite. They constantly look for ways to help others, for example they readily hold doors open or offer to help people. This was evident in a Year 2 art lesson and a Year 3 literacy lesson when pupils asked the inspectors if they wanted to look at more of their work. Most pupils listen with very good attention to their teachers and to St Leonard's CE Primary School each other. This shows that pupils value and respect the ideas and opinions of other people. This is very evident in Year 6 where pupils’ very good behaviour underpins their mature attitudes to learning across all subjects. The high standard of behaviour is not as

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

evident in Year 1; for example a significant minority of pupils are inattentive during whole class discussions.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Relationships between pupils, and between pupils and staff, are very good. Staff set a very good example of care and respect for the feelings, values and beliefs of others. This is a key factor in the creation and maintenance of a purposeful working atmosphere and a very friendly, welcoming school. The success of this approach is shown in the way that pupils work together as friends and are kind towards one another at playtimes. They readily include others in their play, for example pupils from ethnic minorities. Boys and girls get on very well with each other. No pupils have ever been excluded from the school. Pupils take good care of their own and the school’s property, such as books and computers.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. The school has maintained very good levels of attendance since the previous inspection. The attendance rate for the current year of 96 per cent is well above the national average, and is better than the schools locally. The school monitors attendance well; therefore unauthorised absences are lower than the rates both locally and nationally. Punctuality is monitored rigorously. Therefore, most pupils arrive on time. Both morning and afternoon sessions start promptly.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

12. The quality of teaching is good and effectively promotes pupils' progress. It is satisfactory or better in all lessons. It is excellent in 5 per cent, very good in 39 per cent, good in 28 per cent and satisfactory in 28 per cent. The quality of teaching is very significantly better than at the time of the last inspection. Teachers plan work that is matched more accurately to pupils' varying needs. This was a particular weakness last time with regard to the work they gave to higher attaining pupils. Teachers manage pupils' behaviour far more effectively than some teachers did at the time of the last inspection. The marking of some work remains a weakness.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13. The quality of teaching in the reception class is at least good and often very good, and sometimes excellent. This is a marked improvement since the last inspection. Staff plan the lessons carefully and work together very successfully as a team. They are very caring and supportive. For example, they give children lots of praise and encouragement. This raises children’s self-esteem and gives them increasing confidence to learn. Very good planned opportunities for pupils to learn basic skills of literacy and numeracy characterises the teaching. Adults rigorously record what children learn and where they need more help. Staff give children lots of opportunities to develop their creative and physical skills independently through interesting activities.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. Teaching is good for the pupils who speak English as an additional language. This is because teachers ensure they include them in all the activities, for example in the introduction to literacy lessons. This was evident in Year 2 when the teacher asked a pupil who spoke English as an additional language to hold up the word ‘strong’ and asked his classmates to write down the opposite of the word on their whiteboards. Also teachers ensure that the work is matched well to the needs of the pupils who speak English as an additional language and they give them the extra support that they need. Therefore, the pupils’ learning is good. This was evident in a Year 1 lesson when a pupil who spoke English as an additional language worked with a support teacher. The pupil identified correctly the initial sounds of words for the pictures on a worksheet and explained competently the choices that he made.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

St Leonard's CE Primary School 15. Support in whole class lessons for pupils with special educational needs is good. It enables pupils to participate fully and with confidence in all their work. Learning support staff are particularly effective and make a valuable contribution to the quality of teaching and learning. Teachers make effective use of individual education plans to inform their planning and match the work they provide to pupils’ individual needs. Pupils who receive individual tuition from a specialist teacher are taught very well. This is because the teacher has a very good knowledge and understanding of each pupil’s special educational needs and expectations are high in relation to the quality of work they are expected to achieve.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. Teachers in Years 1 to 6 have a good knowledge and understanding of what they teach. They also have high expectations of what they want pupils to achieve in lessons. They teach with confidence, and extend pupils' learning by answering their questions accurately. This means that pupils extend their knowledge and understanding of what teachers expect them to learn. In an excellent geography lesson with Year 5 pupils, the teacher demonstrated high expectations and very good subject expertise. This was shown in clear explanations about the 'journey of a river' and they way she challenged the pupils to extend their learning through very effective use of maps. By the end of the lesson, pupils knew the key words related to rivers, such as 'source' and 'meander'. They also located the river Ribble on a map of the British Isles, and traced it from its source to its mouth. Although expectations are high of what teachers want pupils to achieve,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

expectations of the presentation of pupils' work are not consistently high enough. This is especially true of work completed on loose-leaf paper. It is better in pupils' exercise books. Also, not all work is dated and this makes the tracking of progress over time difficult.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. Teachers' planning shows satisfactorily what they want different groups of pupils to learn in each lesson. This ensures that pupils know what they have to do in lessons and so they waste little time. Teachers use a range of good teaching methods. These include whole class teaching, group and individual work incorporating practical, investigative and problem solving activities. These teaching approaches motivate pupils to learn. In a very good Year 2 science lesson, pupils, through skilled questioning by the teacher, gave clear explanations of how to conduct a 'fair test' to learn what changes will happen when you heat up things, such as bread and eggs. In the same lesson, lower attaining pupils made very good progress. By the end of the lesson they explained, among other things, the process of melting chocolate in a microwave oven and then how you had to spread it on a biscuit before 'it gets hard again'.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. The teaching of the basic skills of literacy and numeracy is good. Teachers use information and communication technology effectively to support pupils' learning in other subjects. Time is mainly used efficiently and lessons proceed at a brisk pace. The use of silent reading sessions does not always extend pupils' learning sufficiently. Also, there is no consistent system for recording pupils' learning or for measuring the progress they make in these lessons. The quality of the marking of pupils' work is too variable. Some work is not marked at all, whilst other work receives a tick. There is very good practice in school when teachers provide helpful comments to pupils to show why the work is good or what needs to be done to improve it.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Teachers manage pupils' behaviour very well. As a result, little time is wasted in lessons and the pupils have more time to work hard. A strength of the teaching is the very good relationships between staff and pupils which ensure that all pupils are fully involved in lessons and feel valued. This greatly enhances the quality of pupils' learning. Teachers deploy support staff efficiently to support pupils' learning. Support staff contribute positively to pupils' progress. St Leonard's CE Primary School 20. Pupils' learning is good because of the good quality of teaching. They respond readily to the challenge of the work set, show a willingness to concentrate and make good progress in most lessons. Pupils apply their basic skills of literacy and numeracy to good effect in all subjects. Pupils adjust well to the demands of working in different situations, selecting the right methods for carrying out tasks and organising effectively the resources they

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

need. They have a sound knowledge of their own learning. Pupils are confident and alert to ask questions. They persevere with their work when answers are not readily available. Where appropriate, pupils readily help one another.

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PUPILS?

21. For children in the reception class learning opportunities are satisfactory. They are clearly based upon the recommended areas of learning for children of this age. Teachers plan the work well to develop systematically children's skills, knowledge and understanding in most aspects of their learning, the exception being outdoor play. Learning opportunities are effective in promoting early literacy and numeracy skills. The work teachers provide ensures that children are well prepared for starting the National Curriculum.

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PUPILS?

22. The quality and range of learning opportunities for pupils in Years 1 to 6 are satisfactory and meet the requirements of the National Curriculum. The school places a high priority on the teaching of literacy and numeracy. Good strategies are in place to ensure basic literacy and numeracy skills are promoted through other subjects. This helps raise standards achieved by pupils significantly. There are satisfactory policy documents and schemes of work to guide teachers’ planning for what they are going to teach in each lesson. The quality of half-termly planning is satisfactory. There are subject co- ordinators for all subjects of the National Curriculum

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PUPILS?

23. The school makes satisfactory provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education. Opportunities for sex education are sensitively included to acknowledge and respect the views and opinions of everyone whilst clearly placing an emphasis on developing pupils’ understanding of the topic. The school is revising the policy and programme of study for this part of the curriculum. Good planned improvements include greater emphasis upon aspects such as drugs education and citizenship.

p.14

PUPILS?

24. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The school provides a flexible range of support to meet the various needs of individual pupils. The most effective is the help pupils receive from learning support assistants in class lessons and from a visiting specialist teacher. Teachers use pupils' individual education plans well to plan suitable work to meet the needs of individuals. The school ensures that the provision outlined in pupils’ statements is in place and reviewed annually in line with national guidance. The school plans the arrangements for the withdrawal of individual pupils for additional literacy help to ensure they do not miss work in other subjects, unless it is unavoidable.

p.14

PUPILS?

25. The contribution of extra-curricular activities to enrich pupils’ learning opportunities is very good. Teachers, specialist tutors and other visitors provide pupils with opportunities to learn French, receive instrumental music tuition, sing in the choir and play football and netball. The range of activities provided by the school has improved considerably since the last inspection. The school further promotes pupils’ personal development through participating in safety education schemes, including safe cycling and pedestrian training programmes. The school organises educational visits to enrich pupils' learning experiences in places that contrast to where they live. In Year 6, pupils, as the highlight and culmination of their primary school experiences, eagerly await a week's residential field trip. St Leonard's CE Primary School 26. The contribution the local and wider community makes to pupils’ learning is good. Pupils

p.14

PUPILS?

are regularly involved in a range of initiatives including fundraising for local and national charities including Global Care, Poppy Appeal, Red Nose Day and the European Children’s Trust. Involvement in the immediate locality includes local church initiatives and contributing to local recycling and conservation work. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 enjoy participating in football coaching with Blackburn Rovers, whilst pupils enjoyed sharing experiences with a visiting musician and Indian dancer.

p.15

PUPILS?

27. Relationships with partner institutions are very good. Systems are firmly in place, which ensure a smooth transfer to the next phase of the pupils' education. Pupils enjoy sharing experiences with other schools when past pupils visit the school to lead an assembly about their new school. Year 6 pupils are also attending a series of lessons at the local high school, including mathematics, science and design and technology lessons. In addition a teacher from the same school has taken Year 6 for drama lessons. New pupils attend a series of induction afternoons with a variety of activities in the summer term before they are due to start. There are also opportunities for parents and carers to attend an information session and meet members of staff. Individual appointments between the Reception class teacher and new pupils and their parents also take place.

p.15

PUPILS?

28. The provision for pupils' personal development is good and underpins the whole work of the school. Most parents feel that the school helps their children to become mature and responsible. Improvement has been good since the time of the previous inspection.

p.15

PUPILS?

29. The main strengths are: • staff set a very good example of care and respect for others; • the very good relationships between all members of the school community; • the clear and consistent approach to promoting the principles of right and wrong;

p.15

PUPILS?

30. The main areas to develop are: • for the staff to extend pupils’ understanding of the diverse cultures within the school and the wider community further.

p.15

PUPILS?

31. The provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. Staff encourage pupils to value themselves and foster a respect for others within a Christian framework. The school has strong links with the local church; pupils take part in services there and the vicar contributes regularly to collective worship. During the inspection he told the story of the miracle that Jesus worked with the loaves and fishes. He gained pupils’ interest by using loaves and fish to illustrate the story. Teachers place a strong emphasis on prayer in collective worship. During the inspection staff missed opportunities for reflection and for creating a special atmosphere. However, the school reports that these opportunities occur when appropriate throughout the year.

p.15

PUPILS?

32. The school’s provision for pupils' moral development is very good. Staff set a very good example to pupils of care and consideration for others. They ensure that pupils are aware of the need to take responsibility for their own actions to be honest and to contribute to the welfare of others. Therefore, pupils develop a clear sense of right and wrong. The success of this approach is seen in the large amount of money that pupils raise for charities, such as the National Society for the Protection of Children and for Barnados. The school sponsors a child in Uganda and contributes an amount of money annual through Action Aid. Pupils sometimes initiate the fund raising. Staff implement successfully the school’s positive behaviour policy that is based upon praise and rewards. This raises pupils’ self esteem and confidence and therefore, most pupils work hard and behave very well. St Leonard's CE Primary School

p.15

PUPILS?

33. The very good relationships between everyone in the school underpin the very good provision for pupils’ social development. Teachers make very good use of the local and wider community to promote pupils’ social development and citizenship. The school provides an attractive friendship area where pupils sit and chat to one another at playtimes. The very well organised school council allows Year 6 pupils to put forward to the staff the viewpoints of pupils. They successfully raised money to improve the resources for playtime games. Teachers give pupils of all ages some activities in which they practise and develop their social skills such as working together as friends in pairs or groups in lessons. This was very evident in an art lesson when Year 2 pupils worked in pairs to produce pictures of industrial landscapes in the style of L.S. Lowry. Also, in a physical education lesson in Year 6, pupils arranged the apparatus so that it met the

p.16

PUPILS?

criteria for the task that the teacher set them. On the other hand teachers provide few opportunities in some subjects, such as geography and history.

p.16

PUPILS?

34. The school’s provision for pupils’ cultural development is good. The school provides very well for the understanding of British and European cultures. It provides a range of out-of- school visits, for example Year 6 pupils went to a Halle Orchestra rehearsal, and Year 2 pupils visited the Lowry art gallery. Also expert visitors, for example in drama, sport and music, make a very good contribution and inspire pupils’ work. Pupils in Years 3 to 5 have pen-pal links with children in America, Germany and Japan. The school provides satisfactorily for the understanding of life in modern multi-cultural Britain. Pupils study a range of art including African, Chinese and aboriginal. An expert visitor showed pupils from Years 1 and 2 music and dance from India. Pupils from ethnic minorities share with pupils their experiences of the cultural traditions related to their religious festivals. However, staff miss the opportunity to value and celebrate these experiences as a whole

p.16

PUPILS?

school. Therefore, they do not extend far enough pupils’ understanding of the diverse cultures within the school and the wider community.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. The care and support offered to the pupils are very good. The school has a warm and caring atmosphere where all teachers and support staff know the children and their families well and are fully aware of their needs. The school has very good induction procedures for reception children. The information contained in the 'starting school' pack is very helpful for new parents and children. As a result, children become familiar with the school routine and settle down quickly in school. Parents’ response to the questionnaire and pupils talking to the inspectors confirm that the school provides a caring environment where all pupils feel safe and secure.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. The school complies with the local education authority's agreed child protection procedures. The headteacher is supported by deputy headteacher to deal with child protection matters. Teaching and non-teaching staff are aware of the procedures and know what action to take if the need arises. Mid-day staff are aware of the procedures and they have received formal training. Pupils with special educational needs, including emotional needs, receive good support from outside agencies.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The school pays good attention to health and safety matters. Adults properly supervise the children arriving or leaving the school. There is good supervision while the pupils are engaged in practical activities in the classroom. The sufficient number of adults present each day provides a good level of supervision for outdoor activities.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The governors' health and safety committee undertakes regular risk assessments of the premises. The site manager takes very good care to ensure that the buildings, equipment and the school grounds are free from health hazards. The general cleanliness of the buildings and the upkeep of the grounds are of highest standards. Teachers and support staff promote hygiene very well as part of the curriculum. There are good St Leonard's CE Primary School arrangements for first aid and the school cares sympathetically for sick pupils. The school immediately informs parents in case of an emergency or if a pupil becomes ill whilst at school.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Procedures for monitoring attendance and punctuality are very good. The school and the education welfare officer, who visits the school regularly, follow up unexplained absences and support vulnerable families. Attendance registers are marked in accordance with the legal requirements and the teachers ensure their safekeeping.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour and eliminating oppressive behaviour are very effective. A system of mutually agreed, simple, but very effective, school rules supports positive behaviour. Staff encourage pupils to behave well through a range of strategies such as praise and celebration of achievement in the Friday assembly. Older pupils look out for younger children who may need a friend in the playground. All staff understand the school's procedures for dealing with difficult behaviour. They have received training and advice on how best to handle aggressive and unacceptable behaviour. Parents and pupils understand the school rules for good behaviour. Pupils understand that the school takes incidents of bullying seriously. There were no such incidents during the inspection.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The school effectively monitors pupils’ academic performance and their personal development. Assessment procedures for pupils aged 5 to 11 are satisfactory and there are good systems in place to monitor what pupils know and are able to do in English, information and communication technology and mathematics. In science procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are less comprehensive and teachers are not making consistent use of the information they do have to help them plan what they intend pupils to learn next. In contrast, the procedures in information and communication technology, English and mathematics are more firmly established and, as a result, all teachers are familiar with the systems of record keeping which are well used to monitor what the pupils know, understand and can do. However, the ways teachers check and record pupils' learning in the 'silent reading sessions' are not consistently effective from

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. In information and communication technology, English and mathematics teachers make good use of day-to-day assessment to plan lessons that meet the varying needs of the pupils. They place the right emphasis upon the development of monitoring and tracking pupils’ achievements. Throughout the school assessment is not used well enough for identifying pupils who need harder work in other subjects.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The school has yet to develop comprehensive assessment records, which include information about what pupils do well and what they need to do next. Portfolios of samples of pupils’ work are being developed and the school is aware of the need to match pupils’ work to National Curriculum levels in order to evaluate closely how standards within the school reflect those found in other schools.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. There are assessment strategies to track the achievements of all pupils and identify individuals and groups of children needing additional support, and to gather information to compare with the achievements of pupils in similar schools and those found nationally.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. The quality of educational and personal support and guidance provided by the school for pupils is satisfactory. Teachers know their pupils exceptionally well and report regularly to parents how their child is developing personally as well as academically. The school is developing more formal methods of recording qualities such as persistence, application, co-operation with others, the ability to concentrate and be self-confident. The school has introduced target setting for individual pupils and is developing methods for them to record their own learning appropriate to their age and ability. For example, pupils in Year St Leonard's CE Primary School 2 keep pictorial records of how well they have done in their work. This provides them with a good knowledge and understanding about their own progress and achievements. Personal achievements in or outside school are always celebrated, such as those gained

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

in sport or music. The school recognises that this has a great impact on raising pupils’ self-esteem and further promote positive attitudes to learning and personal initiative, especially for the very small number of pupils who have a tendency to be less positive about their achievements.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The school’s partnership with parents is very strong. Parents are pleased with the quality of education provided for their children and with the standards achieved by the school. They praise the approachability, professionalism and friendliness of the staff. They are pleased that their children develop such positive attitudes to learning and make good progress. Parents agree that their children like school and that the school expects the children to work hard and achieve their best. The inspection confirms these positive views.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Parents at the pre-inspection meeting confirmed that arrangements for settling their children in the school are flexible and very supportive. The teachers meet with parents before their children start school and focus on promoting the partnership between home and school so that the school gets to know the children quickly. The supportive partnership continues through out the child's school life. Those parents who spoke with the inspectors felt comfortable in approaching the school to enquire about their children's welfare and progress. All parents feel that school values them as partners in their children's learning. They are welcome to the many activities provided by the school. Inspectors observed parents talking to teachers and helping their children to settle down in the class. The parents and other voluntary adults were seen helping in the school during the inspection. The school values this contribution and makes good use of such

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

opportunities for an informal chat about any concerns.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. A significant minority, 26 per cent, expressed concern that the school does not work closely with parents. The inspection finding is that the school works very hard to involve parents in the education of their children. Information provided for parents is good. The school prospectus and 'Starting School' brochure, for example, are easy to read and contain necessary information, including how to make contact with the school and the National Curriculum test results. Homework is marked regularly and parents are encouraged to support their children's learning. Reception parents receive information about their children's attainment on entry to the school. Pupils' annual progress reports give clear information about how well children are doing and how parents can help them to improve.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. There are good opportunities for parents to visit school, such as on parents’ evenings, before and after school, special presentation assemblies, church services, and literacy and numeracy workshops. Parents are kept informed about these and other events through regular newsletters and the school calendar of events, which is sent out each term. A strategically placed notice board in the school displays notices on information of interest to parents. The school values consultation with parents and seeks their views through formal and informal feed back. There is small parents’ association. It organises school events to raise money for school funds, which are used to purchase additional resources. The amount and quality of homework are similar to other schools, which is supported by a large number of parents. Most parents have signed the home-school agreement. The inspection findings agree that school works hard to ensure that all

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

parents and carers are involved as active partners in their children's education. St Leonard's CE Primary School

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher, and the very able support of the senior management team, together provide very good leadership. All staff provide good support and there is a very good team spirit. The good improvement made since the last inspection reflects a shared commitment by the school community to achieve high standards. Subject co-ordinators provide good leadership and management of the subjects for which they are responsible. However, a high number of staff changes mean some co-ordinators have had responsibility for only a short time, and so their influence has not yet fully affected standards within these subjects. This is particularly relevant in relation to the monitoring of teaching and learning in the subjects for which they are responsible. The headteacher plans to redistribute responsibilities at the start of the next school year.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The school has very effective procedures for the evaluation of its work. The headteacher and senior teachers monitor teaching and standards in school very closely. Subject co- ordinators all monitor the standards of pupils' work effectively through regular examination of pupils' books. The results of the monitoring are evaluated carefully. The headteacher and teachers use these results very effectively to plan improvements. For example, following the identification of weaknesses in the standards of pupils' writing they put in place strategies that have raised standards significantly. The school includes areas for improvement within their school improvement plan, which is a good instrument for planning and monitoring improvement. The school sets the right priorities and achievable targets. There is effective implementation of the school's plans for improvement.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The leadership and management of special educational needs are good. Support staff are particularly effective in the contribution they make to teaching and learning, especially when they are deployed to support pupils in whole class lessons. The additional support provided for pupils with statements of special educational need is effective because it is used to enable pupils to be taught alongside their classmates. The headteacher is the special educational needs co-ordinator and, therefore, has opportunities to monitor and evaluate the work of colleagues and the use made of individual education plans throughout all subjects of the National Curriculum. The day-to-day responsibility for meeting the needs of this group of pupils has been appropriately delegated to class teachers and a part time specialist teacher. There is a satisfactory policy for special educational needs and special educational needs feature in the school development plan.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

A named governor has responsibility for this aspect of the school’s work. The governors have had appropriate involvement in monitoring the quality of special educational needs provision and devising any criteria for assessing the value of this element of the school’s work, and evaluating how the school uses the devolved budget for special educational needs. The school provides suitable resources and a good level of staffing to meet the needs of this group of pupils. The quality of accommodation is satisfactory and used efficiently.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The aims of the school include commitments to high standards and high quality teaching and learning. These aims of the school are well carried out and visible in the daily life of the school. They are the basis of a very good atmosphere within the school, which contributes very significantly to pupils' learning, academic standards and their personal development. There are very effective working relationships between the headteacher, governing body, staff, pupils and parents in order to achieve the school’s aims.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The governors are very well organised and demonstrate a very good understanding of their roles. Some governors are active in the life of the school and all governors keep themselves very well informed about what is going on in the school. They have a very clear picture of how the school performs and a very good knowledge of the school's strengths and weaknesses. Governors are closely involved in school improvement St Leonard's CE Primary School planning and its monitoring. They take very effective steps to support the headteacher in bringing about improvement. The governing body fulfils all statutory requirements. The school's performance management arrangements are good, and a good performance management policy is in place. Targets for raising standards have been set for staff and the headteacher. The school is a good provider of effective initial teacher training.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The headteacher manages the school very efficiently. The school makes very efficient use of its financial resources to provide a good quality of education. The headteacher, in consultation with the governing body, manages very well the budget. The fact that a deficit budget at the time of the last inspection is now a surplus budget is testament to this. The administration officer carries out the routine daily administration of the finances very efficiently. The school uses the school improvement plan to guide budgetary decisions. Funds are spent on the right priorities. There is very good evaluation of the effectiveness of budget allocations for the different areas of school life. The effectiveness of this is enhanced by the subject co-ordinators managing their own budgets. The money carried forward this year is allocated to maintain the good level of teaching and support staff. Other sources of funding have been effectively secured to enable further building

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

improvements and grants obtained to further the development of the school grounds. The school incorporates the principles of best value into its financial arrangements to ensure it seeks the most effective solutions to its spending. The school implemented the very small number of recommendations that the latest auditor's report identified. The school ensures it allocates its grant for staff training to support targets in the school improvement plan and in this way relates them directly to pupils' learning.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The school's staffing, accommodation and learning resources are satisfactory in most areas. The school has maintained a satisfactory level of teaching staff. There is an average number of teachers with a good blend of knowledge and experience. Training opportunities for staff address personal priorities and are linked well to the overall needs of the school. As a result, all staff are well trained and there are effective strategies for inducting new staff into the school. Key staff have left in quick succession for promotion. This has meant that in the last two years Year 6 has had three different teachers.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. There are sufficient numbers of learning support staff. Mid-day supervisors are well supported by the headteacher. They have received relevant in-service training. The administration of the school is very effective. The school bursar and clerical assistant are very competent. They run the office in a relaxed and friendly but very efficient way, making full use of up-to-date computer technology. The headteacher has complete confidence in them and relies on them to look after day-to-day administrative duties. Very good examples were observed during the inspection of information being provided promptly and efficiently to enable the headteacher to deal quickly with matters as they arose. There is a hard working site manager and dining room staff, who take pride in their work. This provides a welcoming school.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The building is bright, welcoming and meets current needs of the curriculum. The governors have plans in hand to extend the buildings to accommodate the increasing number of children in the area and to improve the school grounds further to enhance play and learning opportunities. They have acquired sufficient funds to undertake the required work. The planning for building work is well advanced. When completed, this will provide further teaching and learning areas. The present available accommodation is well used and organised to provide a good range of learning opportunities for the children. The school has developed a 'wooded area' that teachers use very effectively to support pupils' learning. Although, outdoor facilities for Foundation Stage children are unsatisfactory, the school has imminent plans to improve them.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. There is good access to the generous and pleasant grassed area, where pupils play and enjoy the social time together. The school is well fenced where children learn and play in St Leonard's CE Primary School complete security. The site manager ensures that the buildings are kept in very clean decorative order and free from any obstacles for pupils and staff to move around in safety. Learning resources in most areas are satisfactory.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

60. The school is committed to continuous improvement and has identified the following areas for improvement, with which the inspection team concur. In order to raise standards further, the headteacher and staff, with the support of the governing body should:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• provide children in the Foundation Stage with the best opportunities for effective physical development by improving outdoor facilities for learning; (paragraphs 21, 58 and 62)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensure the quality of marking and presentation of pupils' work is of a consistently high standard in every class. (paragraphs 16, 18 and subject paragraphs) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In addition to the above key issues the less important areas for development are:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• make more effective use of the time allocated for individual reading activities in Years 3 to 6, and check and review pupils' progress in reading frequently using a common system in all classes (paragraphs 18, 41 and 85);

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• spread the workload of foundation subject co-ordinators more evenly so that they monitor, evaluate and support teaching and learning in the subjects for which they are responsible more often (paragraph 50 and subject paragraphs). St Leonard's CE Primary School

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 33

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 5 39 28 28 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents almost three percentage points.

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 214

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 10

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 20

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 3

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 14

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 12

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Leonard's CE Primary School

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 13 15 28

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 11 11 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 13 13 15

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 86 (86) 86 (94) 96 (89) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 11 12 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 15 15

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 89 (89) 96 (89) 96 (91) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 15 19 34

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 12 11 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 17 14 17

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 85 (87) 74 (74) 88 (87) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 10 11 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 17 14 18

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 79 (87) 74 (77) 94 (87) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St Leonard's CE Primary School

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 3 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 2 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 1 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 0 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 0 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. St Leonard's CE Primary School

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.8 Financial year 2001-02

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR– Y6 Total income 419,144

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 413,483

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 94 Expenditure per pupil 1,923

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 29,975 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 3

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 3

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. St Leonard's CE Primary School

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 50 42 4 0 4

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 47 48 2 0 3

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 29 57 8 3 3

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 25 48 21 5 1

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 62 33 4 0 1

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 54 40 6 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 35 50 11 3 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 43 49 7 1 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 46 49 4 1 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 22 59 12 3 4 St Leonard's CE Primary School PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

61. At the time of the inspection there were 30 children in the reception class. The children’s attainment when they join the school is in line with expected standards for children this age. Children have satisfactory speaking and listening skills, and come to school with an appropriate range of social experiences. Their breadth of mathematical and general knowledge is at an expected level for their age. By the end of their year in reception, the children’s achievement is good.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

63. Staff work together very successfully and manage the class very well. They have high expectations of children's behaviour and performance. All lessons observed were at least good and usually very good and sometimes excellent. Because of this, children made very good progress. The high quality teaching observed was characterised by very good work being planned for pupils to learn basic skills of literacy and numeracy. Adults rigorously recorded what children were learning and where they needed more help. Children were also given lots of time to develop their creative and physical skills independently through interesting activities.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64. As soon as the children start school the staff assess their progress and development. Systems are comprehensive and used very well by all staff. If there are any concerns, the teacher informs parents so that they can offer their children extra support at home. Information regarding the attainment of children in previous years shows that in most years they achieved nationally expected standards in all areas of learning. The children currently of reception age achieve high standards and by the time they enter Year 1 most of them will attain standards higher than nationally expected in most areas of learning. In terms of their physical and mathematical development the children will achieve standards expected for their age. Children with special educational needs also achieve well and make similar progress to their classmates because their difficulties are quickly identified and they receive very good support and help during their lessons. Since the time of the

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

last inspection the quality of teaching in reception has improved considerably. At that time it was satisfactory. Consequently, because teaching is better, the children are now making better than average progress. The school is now very well placed to maintain the current high standard of education it provides for this group of pupils. The Foundation Stage is a strength of the school.

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Personal, social and emotional development

65. Children in reception demonstrate high levels of confidence and a very good awareness of school routines. They have excellent relationships with their teacher and other adults who help them. Staff provide very good role models. They work together very well and create a calm and happy atmosphere. The children quickly learn to take turns and work and play well together in pairs and groups. They put on their coats, shoes, hats and gloves independently when it is time to go out to play or home. They quickly and confidently change into their kit for physical education lessons, requiring only minimal help with shoes and fastenings. Well-established daily routines provide children with opportunities to develop good social skills. For example, the teacher uses registration activities very successfully to emphasise the importance of friendship and caring for one another. In discussion sessions, children are keen to answer questions and are also

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Personal, social and emotional development

good at listening to one another. In lessons, they demonstrate initiative and independence when finding and selecting resources, such as their own favourite storybooks or materials for their construction work. Children in the Foundation Stage are thoughtful, kind, aware of the needs of others and are very happy following the routines established throughout the school. St Leonard's CE Primary School

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Communication, language and literacy

66. Most of the children join the reception class with average speaking skills. This quickly develops through various activities provided by the staff. For example, children talk with one another in the role-play ‘once upon a time corner’. They discuss the books that they share as a class and those which they take home to read. The teacher encourages the children to talk and share experiences when they first come to school in the morning. The children are very keen to tell their news to the adults and other children. Story time sessions successfully introduce children to the excitement of books. During the inspection sharing a story about ‘The Gingerbread Man’ created excitement and interest with the majority of the children able to suggest an ending or ideas about what might happen next. They understand that books give them information and provide them with stories. They explain the relationship between words and pictures. They understand the

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Communication, language and literacy

significance of the part played by different characters in a story, especially ‘the goodies’ and ‘the baddies’. Children really enjoy listening to poems, songs and rhymes. They readily join in with songs, such as ‘Hairy Joe’. Their recall of information from stories is very good. They demonstrated this when they retold ‘The Three Little Pigs’ story. Also, in character, they were interviewed by ‘Fizwella’ the ‘Fairy Tale Reporter’ about what had happened to the ‘Gingerbread Man’. By the end of their time in reception their speaking skills are very good and they have good listening skills.

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Communication, language and literacy

67. With only one or two exceptions the children know letter sounds and write their own names. Staff encourage them to do so on every piece of work. Children's letter formation is accurate and they understand the importance of keeping letter size the same. They share story books confidently, mimic adults and in this way begin to join in with parts of a story such as ‘Run Run as Fast as You Can’ with expression. All children write simple words and some 'copy write' their own news. They know that a capital letter starts a sentence, and they explain the importance of a full stop. By the end of reception, children produce satisfactory standards of written work and they read well.

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Mathematical development

68. Staff give reception children good opportunities to count and develop their understanding of number. When playing outside children know which of their friends are bigger or smaller than them and count the number of strides they take to reach given destinations around the school grounds. In the classroom, children count various objects and put them in patterns correctly. They know the shape and names of numbers through handling two- and three-dimensional numbers and by placing them in correct sequences. During registration children sometimes take turns to count how many people are in class that day and how many are absent.

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Mathematical development

69. The children also gain a more formal understanding of number. They count confidently to 10 and beyond. Most children find two numbers that add up to 10, with many achieving more than this, for example, adding three numbers to make numbers up to 20. Children sort objects by different criteria such as 'big', 'small', 'tall' or 'short'. The children recognise and name simple two-dimensional shapes, such as a circle and a square. They show a good understanding of mathematical vocabulary and terms like 'more than', 'less than' and 'longer' and 'shorter'. In one lesson, children recognised a range of coins and knew that a 10 pence piece was equal to 10 penny pieces. Through practical activities, they develop knowledge and understanding of vocabulary related to money and in role-play situations they could pay for items and, as the shopkeeper, give change from 10 pence. Staff make good use of number rhymes and songs, including ‘five currant

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Mathematical development

buns in the bakers shop’ and ‘five little fingers’ to help reinforce knowledge and understanding of simple addition and subtraction. St Leonard's CE Primary School

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

70. Staff give the children in reception very effective activities to learn about the world in which they live. They know that it is important to eat regular, healthy meals and they evaluate whether or not the food they eat is good for them. They make generalisations such as too many crisps and chocolate would make them fat and they classify foods they have tasted as healthy or unhealthy. They are also familiar with the changes that take place as babies grow into children and adults and compare similar changes in animals and their young. Their knowledge and understanding of basic forces are good and they explain how these are used in their daily lives. For instance, they do this when they squash and squeeze play dough to create different shapes, or pulling and pushing wheeled toys. They explain why glass is suitable to construct a window, but wood or metal are more appropriate to make furniture.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

71. Children have a good knowledge and understanding of the world around them. They are familiar with different types of houses in the locality and compare features of their own home with those of relatives and friends. They correctly identify items of furniture and household appliances and explain where in the house they are located. They bring a good range of personal knowledge and experience to school. Many have travelled extensively so they are able to compare places they have visited with the immediate vicinity of the school and know that towns are much bigger and busier than their village so they have to be very careful crossing the road.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

72. Children’s knowledge of past events is also good. Through studying pictures of life in the past with present day living they identify similarities and differences in their lives and those of their grandparents. They develop some knowledge and understanding of chronology and demonstrate this when comparing the ages of different people they know, for example 'my grandma is older than my mummy and my teacher’. They also compare household appliances such as a dolly tub and an automatic washing machine.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

73. Most children use computers confidently. They use a 'mouse' to move objects around the screen, and name parts of the computer. With help, they access programs, which enable them to design and draw pictures. They also confidently operate other equipment found in the classroom, such as listening centres. They competently explain how microwaves and cameras operate as well as video recorders and digital videodisk players. The children demonstrate a curiosity about the world around them. During class assembly, they show a good appreciation of the need to be quiet and respectful during times of prayer. They know that this is when people are talking to God. Some recall having visited a church for special occasions, such as a wedding, or at Christmas time.

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Physical development

74. Staff give children in reception satisfactory things to do which help children to develop skills of co-ordination. The children build models out of plastic interlocking bricks and large wooden building bricks by finding ways to fix them together effectively. They demonstrate good manipulative skills when they use play dough to mould into various shapes. They know how to hold and control pencils and use scissors correctly. The lack of outdoor play equipment significantly slows children’s development in this aspect of their learning and the progress they make is unsatisfactory. However, they are aware of the effect of exercise on their bodies and realise that exercise is good for them. They develop confidence when they use small equipment and gain skills in throwing and catching a variety of balls and other small items of play equipment. The children kick balls to one another with increasing accuracy. They enjoy repeating an activity that they

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Physical development

have mastered and they begin to adjust their awareness of the limits of their own bodies. For example, they try to improve how well they skip, how far they run and how high they can jump. At playtime they enjoy chasing games and say that it makes them feel ‘puffed out’. They know this is good for them because they have learned in their physical education lessons about the effects of exercise on their bodies and heart rates. St Leonard's CE Primary School 75. Staff plan activities which offer physical challenge and there is sufficient space outdoors to set up relevant activities, when the weather permits. Opportunities are planned for outdoor activities linked to other areas of learning, for example to explore the extensive school grounds and adjacent wooded area. Good use is made of the school hall for physical education lessons, during which the children make satisfactory progress in developing their gymnastic and games skills.

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Creative development

76. Staff give children a good range of creative experiences. The children are uninhibited when painting and use bright colours boldly. They are keen to explain what they have painted naming all the colours they have used. They sustain interest when they use their fingers and hands to draw shapes and make patterns. Time to print and make collages further promote their creativity. Imaginative role-play is well used and takes place as part of their structured learning.

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Creative development

77. Children's musical activities are also well planned. Instruments are readily available for them to pick up spontaneously and play in lessons. As a result they have growing knowledge of the names of instruments and how they are used to create sounds. In one lesson, which was well taught, the children made good gains in their knowledge and understanding about beat and rhythm through replicating regular and irregular sound patterns, by clapping or using various percussion instruments. Opportunities to sing traditional songs and nursery rhymes are good. The children name and sing the introductions to some of their favourite rhymes and are very expressive when contributing with a ‘rap’ response of ‘Yeah Man’.

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Creative development

78. Throughout the day children take the chance to play with small toys adapting them to a variety of roles. They develop their competence in using creative tools including scissors, paintbrushes and a variety of mark making instruments. As a result, they develop the confidence to express and communicate their intended ideas, thoughts and feelings as reflected in their work. St Leonard's CE Primary School

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ENGLISH

79. Inspection evidence indicates that standards are above average in English by the end of Year 2 and well above average by the end of Year 6. From an above average starting point in Year 1 pupils’ achievement is good by the time they leave the school. The school has made good improvement in the standards reported for Year 2 pupils in the 2002 national tests and has maintained the well above average standards reported in Year 6. In the past few years the school's focus on raising standards in writing has been very successful. Year 6 pupils now reach higher standards in writing than reading. This differs from the national picture in which Year 6 pupils perform better in reading. Also the school has made good improvement in the whole subject since the time of the previous inspection, for example in standards, teaching and classroom book resources. Taking Year 6's last three years results together, standards are above the national average.

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ENGLISH

80. The main strengths are: • the high standards in writing in Year 6; • the good and sometimes very good teaching; • teachers make learning interesting and teach basic skills well; • the good curriculum.

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ENGLISH

81. The main areas to develop are: • a common system to check and review frequently pupils’ progress in reading and the effectiveness of the extra lessons in reading in Years 3 to 6; • the presentation of pupils’ work and consistent marking of pupils’ work.

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ENGLISH

82. Pupils make satisfactory progress in speaking and listening throughout the school. Standards are above average. Pupils use a wide variety of words to express clearly their thoughts and experiences. Teachers give considerable time to question and answer sessions in English and in other subjects. They ask challenging questions that make pupils think carefully about their answers. This was evident when Year 2 pupils put words in alphabetical order. The teacher asked ‘Does anyone know why balance comes after bacteria?’ A pupil answered correctly that you looked at the third letter - l. Teachers also provide some time for drama. Pupils take part in school productions, theatre groups visit the school and pupils attend the theatre, for example Year 6 watched Macbeth. Most pupils listen to adults and to each other attentively. This was very evident when groups of Year 5 pupils took turns to perform a rap poem to their classmates. The pupils watched

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ENGLISH

with close attention as the performers spoke the words clearly and rhythmically and performed the actions with obvious enjoyment. The teaching of the correct technical vocabulary for the subject is very good. Therefore, Year 2 pupils accurately use words like ‘definition’ and ‘glossary’, and Year 6 pupils use ‘alliteration’ and ‘onomatopoeia’.

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ENGLISH

83. Pupils make satisfactory progress in reading in the main. Their progress slows down in Year 1 because the teaching is satisfactory compared with the good quality teaching in the rest of the school. Progress improves rapidly to be good in Year 2 because the teacher plans, organises and checks pupils’ reading in literacy lessons very carefully. However, the progress that pupils make is not sufficient to make up for the lost ground. Therefore, they attain average standards in reading by the end of the year.

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ENGLISH

84. In literacy lessons, teachers provide a variety of interesting reading activities that motivate pupils and make the learning enjoyable, purposeful and effective. This was evident when Year 2 pupils worked in pairs to match definitions to words and used dictionaries to help them with their work. In another effective lesson, Year 3 pupils read instructions and used them to make fruit salad and monster masks. In both classes, the pupils were keen to carry out the work, they worked with very good concentration and their learning was very good. Also, the school has a good range of interesting book resources for use in literacy lessons and for pupils to read at home. Therefore, most pupils enjoy reading. St Leonard's CE Primary School Higher and average attaining Year 2 pupils read confidently. They use a range of strategies, such as reading for meaning and using initial letter sounds, to tackle the

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ENGLISH

unfamiliar words that they meet. Higher attaining Year 6 pupils read a range of texts fluently and with suitable understanding. They have competent library skills. The school plans to improve the unsatisfactory library book stock when the library is moved to a new, purpose-built room in the summer term.

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ENGLISH

85. In Years 3 to 6 pupils make less progress in reading than writing. There are two main reasons for this. Teachers do not use a common system to check pupils’ attainment and review frequently their progress in reading. Therefore, teachers sometimes give pupils books that are too easy for them so they do not make the progress that they should. Teachers provide extra time for reading outside the literacy hour. However, they do not plan, structure or teach reading in these sessions as effectively as they do in the literacy lessons; for example, pupils read silently, change reading books, write book reviews or read individually to the teacher. In these sessions pupils make satisfactory progress in their reading.

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ENGLISH

86. Pupils reach above average standards in writing by Year 2 and high standards by Year 6. This is because of the good and sometimes very good teaching that is based upon a good writing curriculum. Pupils’ progress improves rapidly from Year 2 onwards. Throughout the school, staff teach basic skills effectively and they give considerable time to developing pupils’ written vocabulary. Therefore, higher attaining and average Year 2 pupils punctuate sentences accurately. A higher attaining pupil wrote: ‘The sun looked like a beaming hot fireball in the air’. An average attaining pupil wrote: ‘You could hear the whizzing helter-skelter and the rattling roller coaster’.

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ENGLISH

87. From Years 3 to 6 pupils make very good progress across a range of forms of writing, such as poetry, story, reports and persuasive writing. This is because teachers plan the work carefully, give considerable time to writing and have high expectations of the content of pupils’ work. Also, the quality of marking is good because teachers point out to pupils how to improve their work. Therefore, Year 6 pupils of all abilities use paragraphs and punctuation, such as speech marks and commas, correctly. A higher attaining Year 6 pupil wrote in a poem: ‘People resting under baby beige trees/Reclining in the shade with their novels’. Another wrote: ‘Trees stand and sway/To the mighty waterfall's rhythm/As night falls the wildlife rest/but the waterfall keeps flowing its angry song’. A lower attaining pupil wrote as if he was a soldier in World War I: ‘After a while John was beginning to feel pain in his chest, suddenly his breathing went heavy, he started to

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ENGLISH

88. On the other hand, teacher’s expectations of the presentation of pupils’ work are not as high across the whole range of the English work. This is very evident in the work that pupils carry out on loose-leaf paper or worksheets. In some classes this work is not dated, filed systematically or marked thoroughly. This does not promote pupils’ pride in their work or enable teachers and pupils to track their progress easily. However, in the same classes pupils present their work neatly when they work in their exercise books.

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ENGLISH

89. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in relation to their prior attainment because classroom teachers and specialist support staff plan the work for them carefully so that it is matched to their learning needs. This was very evident when the support teacher worked with the Year 3 pupils. She has a sensitive and encouraging manner, which gives pupils confidence. Therefore, they work with good concentration to complete the sentences about the book they read correctly. The school has a few pupils in Years 1 to 3 who speak English as an additional language. They make good progress; for example, most of the pupils work in the average attaining groups. They have competent skills in speaking English and listening, reading and writing. One pupil also has special educational needs and staff give him the extra support that he needs. This St Leonard's CE Primary School was evident in a literacy lesson when the pupil identified correctly the initial letter sounds

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ENGLISH

of words and completed the work correctly.

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ENGLISH

90. Teaching is good. In one third of the lessons it is very good and in one lesson it is satisfactory. A strong feature of most lessons is that teachers manage pupils’ behaviour very well. This is achieved through the very good relationships that they have with the pupils; they are friendly yet firm. Teachers use praise very successfully to reward pupils’ effort and achievement, such as ‘fantastic’ and ‘wonderful’. This raises pupils’ self- esteem and thus pupils are confident learners and their behaviour is very good. They work together as friends and have very good attitudes to their work. This contributes very positively to their learning. In the satisfactory lesson the teacher’s management of pupils’ behaviour was less secure, for example when she explained the work to the whole class. Therefore, a significant minority of pupils were inattentive so their learning was unsatisfactory. This improved during the group work because the teacher and the

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ENGLISH

classroom support teacher worked well together. They planned and organised the work carefully and together they managed pupils’ behaviour effectively.

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ENGLISH

91. Throughout the school, teachers make good use of information and communication technology to support pupils’ learning in English. On the other hand, given the high standards in writing, teachers in Years 3 to 6 do not make enough use of pupils’ literacy skills in other subjects. This is the case in geography and history in most classes, except for history in Year 6 where the teacher makes very good use of pupils’ literacy skills.

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ENGLISH

92. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The co-ordinator is new to the role and he uses his considerable expertise, for example in writing, to give useful advice and support to staff. He has started to check and review pupils’ learning but this is not as effective as it could be. This is because it is not based upon the information the school has about the standards that pupils attain. Also, it is not linked to the clear priorities in the school improvement plan, for example in reading. The co-ordinator has the commitment and expertise to improve the subject further

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MATHEMATICS

93. Inspection evidence indicates that by the end of Year 2 standards are good, reflecting the result of the 2002 national test. In the test in 2002, pupils attained standards that were above average. Pupils attain satisfactorily in relation to similar schools, and they make good progress in relation to their prior attainment. The rate at which pupils progress accelerates in Year 2 from satisfactory to good. This includes pupils identified as having special educational needs. Pupils who learn English as an additional language attain and make similar progress to their classmates. There is no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls.

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MATHEMATICS

94. By the end of Year 6, standards are very good. These standards are higher than those pupils attained in the national test in 2002. Standards in Years 3 to 6 are higher than they were at the time of the last inspection. Current standards suggest that pupils attain at least satisfactorily in relation to similar schools. This is an improvement compared with the 2002 results when attainment was below that of similar schools. It is difficult to judge attainment over time because so many pupils either start or leave the school between Years 2 and 6. For example, in last year's Year 6 class there had been a 53 per cent change in the make-up of the class when compared with the pupils who were present for the Year 2 test. The picture is similar regarding the current Year 6. However, in relation to prior attainment, pupils make very good progress by the end of Year 6. Pupils identified as having special educational needs also achieve very well in relation to their

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MATHEMATICS

prior attainment. There is no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls. Pupils who speak English as an additional language attain similarly to their classmates. St Leonard's CE Primary School 95. Pupils by the end of Year 2 use numbers up to and beyond 100 very confidently, and have a good understanding of the value of different digits in two- and three-digit numbers. They use this knowledge effectively to solve problems with numbers up to 100. Pupils recognise and know the properties of two- and three-dimensional shapes. They estimate and measure lengths in centimetres and metres with accuracy. They record the results written as centimetres and metres. For example, one pupil wrote 183 centimetres = 1.83 metres.

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MATHEMATICS

96. By the end of Year 6, pupils work out calculations in their heads very quickly. They use their well-developed mental skills quickly and accurately work out problems involving the four rules of number. For example, in a very good Year 6 numeracy lesson, pupils mentally calculated 80x60 correctly. They knew what 3 cubed equalled and very quickly worked out the answer to 480 divided by 7. Pupils calculate fractions and decimals correctly, and use and interpret a range of diagrams and charts. They have a very good knowledge of percentages, and a very good understanding of probability. Their knowledge and understanding of positive and negative numbers are good.

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MATHEMATICS

97. Mathematics is taught very well, which has a very positive effect on pupils' learning. Through skilled questioning, teachers ensure pupils can look for patterns in number sequences and seek to establish a rule they can apply in all situations. For example, in a Year 6 lesson, pupils were quick to recognise a number pattern when they completed calculations involving the same figures, such as 9x8 and 90x80. Teachers have high expectations of what they want pupils to achieve in mathematics. Some pupils are taught work that is consistently well above that expected for their age. In a very good Year 3 lesson pupils calculated fractions of numbers very quickly. The teacher ensured all pupils participated in the introductory work through carefully devising questions which matched the varying abilities of the pupils. This meant all pupils made very good progress in this part of the lesson.

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MATHEMATICS

98. A strong feature of all the very successful lessons throughout the school is that teachers manage the different parts of the National Numeracy Strategy successfully. Mental calculation work is completed effectively at the start of the lesson. Teachers give explanations in the introduction and use the end of the lesson successfully to review pupils' understanding of the work. As a result, pupils cover a great deal of work during the main part of the lesson. Pupils get on very well together when they work in pairs or groups. Teachers have very good relationships with pupils. This underpins their successful management of pupils' behaviour. Pupils' behaviour and attitudes to their work are very good and this makes a positive contribution to their learning. This reflects the school's strong emphasis on pupils' social and moral development.

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MATHEMATICS

99. The co-ordinator provides good leadership and management of the subject. Through very good monitoring of pupils' work, she has detailed knowledge of how well pupils perform in mathematics. Teaching is rigorously monitored by the headteacher. This means there is sufficient information available for the school to plan effectively for the continuing development of the subject. Procedures for checking and monitoring pupils' progress are good. Teachers use the results of these checks effectively to set targets and plan future work. In all lessons, teachers provide pupils with good opportunities for speaking and listening and encourage pupils to use mathematical terms accurately. Classroom displays of mathematical work support this. There are good links with other subjects, including English, science, geography and information and communication technology. For example, in an English lesson about writing recipes in Year 3, the

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MATHEMATICS

teacher made a point of using an opportunity to get pupils to calculate by posing the question, 'If I have one litre of orange juice and I use half, how many millilitres will be left?' In a Year 2 science lesson pupils had to time the toasting times for the various pieces of bread accurately and how long it took the butter to melt. Years 5 and 6 linked their St Leonard's CE Primary School geography work on coordinates to their mathematical work. Pupils use computers to record charts and graphs representing calculations completed in mathematics.

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SCIENCE

100. In the 2002 assessments of pupils aged 7 the school’s results are above the national average, and above the average of schools similar to St Leonard’s. Pupils who are capable of achieving higher than average standards of work perform very well. Inspection evidence indicates that standards by the end of Year 2 are similar to the 2002 assessments. The quality of work produced by pupils currently in Year 6 suggests they will attain average standards by the age of 11 years. This is higher than the below average standards attained in the 2002 tests. Throughout the school pupils make good progress in Years 1 and 2 and satisfactory progress in Years 3 to 6 in relation to their prior attainment. Pupils with special educational needs make similar progress to their classmates because they are given very good help within lessons. Pupils attain similar standards to those reported in the last inspection.

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SCIENCE

101. Standards in the current Year 2 are good and pupils in Years 1 and 2 make good progress in their lessons. However, teachers provide too few opportunities for pupils to write their own extended accounts of what they know, understand and can do. There is too great a reliance placed upon the use of worksheets as a means of recording. This does not help to encourage pupils’ natural curiosity and limits their independent learning. As a result, much of the work so far recorded by pupils is only satisfactory. Pupils who write independent accounts of their science work have a clearer knowledge and understanding of the subject. These pupils talk knowledgeably about what they have learned because of their better level of scientific language. For example, they know all living things need food and water to grow, including plants. Most are familiar with some uses of natural and manmade materials, including wool, plastic, wood and paper, but not

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SCIENCE

all were confident about which were natural and which were manufactured. They have a good understanding about the benefits and dangers of electricity, and have a realistic knowledge and understanding about safety issues. All pupils enjoy participating in the very well planned opportunities for investigative work. It is especially beneficial for pupils who have special educational needs, as they receive good support from adults and classmates. The practical approach to learning ensures all make better progress in the development of their knowledge and understanding of the subject. This was evident in their recall of information about faces.

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SCIENCE

102. Standards in the current Year 6 are satisfactory and the majority of pupils have made steady progress. However, pupils who are capable of achieving higher than average standards have not made as much progress in spite of being keen and conscientious in their work. They have high personal aspirations and want to do well, so they enjoy being made to work hard to achieve their goal. The work they have to do is not hard enough for them. All pupils make good progress in practical activities, but this is not evident from the level of detail pupils include in their recorded work. For example, pupils in Year 6 have no exercise books for recording their work, but complete accounts and notes on loose sheets of paper, which are not collated in any files. As a result, they have no comprehensive record of what they have studied and learned throughout the year to use as point of reference for revision. Standards achieved by younger pupils, especially

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SCIENCE

those in Years 4 and 5 are considerably higher and if they continue to maintain current rates of progress they are on course to achieve considerably higher than average standards by the time they leave the school.

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SCIENCE

103. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 make satisfactory but often erratic progress in their lessons. For example, as the year has progressed pupils in Year 6 have had too few opportunities to write accounts of their work. This has had a negative impact upon their knowledge and use of vocabulary, and in the development of their skills of explaining work from earlier St Leonard's CE Primary School lessons. In discussion with pupils in Year 6, they had satisfactory knowledge and understanding about materials, which were good or poor insulators and recalled investigations to find out if the same materials were equally good for keeping ice cubes cold and hot water warm. However, they did not have a clear grasp of why one material was more effective than others. Pupils in Years 4 and 5 had a better recall and ability to explain physical processes related to the earth and beyond, as well as sound and vibration. Their recall of changing materials and their properties was also better. This is

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SCIENCE

because they have better opportunities to record their work independently rather than using worksheets. As a consequence they have more information readily available for future reference. Over time, pupils make better progress in these aspects of their work through experimental and investigative work. They make least progress in developing their knowledge and understanding of life processes and living things. In part, this is because teachers do not teach this aspect of the curriculum as well. Teachers' own enjoyment and personal knowledge and understanding are less secure, especially in relation to aspects of the functions of the human body.

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SCIENCE

104. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers organise and plan their lessons effectively but do not use a wide enough variety of different teaching styles to vary the activities. Most expect pupils to work hard and try their best so they endeavour to make the work challenging and interesting. However, the work pupils produce is not marked well enough, and only rarely includes comments which help pupils improve their work. Pupils enjoy their lessons and behave very sensibly. Teachers provide opportunities for pupils to use their numeracy skills for recording work. For example, they use pictograms, bar graphs and tally charts. Less emphasis is placed on the development and use of extended writing and technical vocabulary, although better examples were found in work produced by pupils in Years 4 and 5. Teaching is good or very good in the lessons because teachers plan activities very well and adults provided good support for learning.

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SCIENCE

In the classes where the quality of teaching over time is better it is because the teachers have high expectations about what they expect the pupils to achieve. The teachers’ own confidence, knowledge and understanding about the subject are better and this helps pupils explain clearly basic features such as fair testing and how to devise and carry out their own experiments and investigations. The best teachers capitalise upon the pupils’ self-confidence in order to generate positive attitudes towards the subject by helping them to apply scientific knowledge and understanding within their daily lives.

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SCIENCE

105. The procedures for assessing pupils’ work are being developed well but the use teachers make of any available information at the moment is not good enough, but is improving. Teachers keep records of pupils’ progress and the development of scientific skills, but the records are inconsistent and not updated often enough. Therefore, they are of too little help and do not inform teachers' planning for subsequent lessons. The subject co- ordinator monitors teaching and pupils' work effectively. The subject is well led and managed because the co-ordinator has a good personal knowledge and understanding of the subject and teaches it well to the pupils in her class. In doing so she provides a good role model for colleagues to emulate and provides them with advice and suggestions about improving their own practice. She has high expectations about what pupils should achieve. This has resulted in standards that are improving throughout the school.

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SCIENCE

106. Since the time of the last inspection the school has improved standards in science by the end of Year 2. It is now well placed to accelerate this work through the junior classes by the co-ordinator’s determination to ensure pupils are always well taught, that they receive their entitlement to an effective curriculum and that the work they complete is well presented and rigorously marked and assessed so that they know how well they are achieving and what they need to do to improve further.

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ART AND DESIGN

St Leonard's CE Primary School 107. By the end of Year 2 pupils’ work in art and design is in line with expectations. By the end of Year 6 pupils’ work is also of a standard similar to that found nationally. In the last inspection standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 were judged to be average. Pupils then made sound progress. Pupils continue to make satisfactory progress in most classes. However, in Year 6, opportunities for pupils to experience certain elements of the curriculum, such as evaluating and improving their own work, are not good enough. Year 6 pupils are not taught an adequate range of new skills because art is at times used as a means to enhance other subjects and pupils are not given sufficiently challenging tasks to complete. Pupils with special educational needs make similar progress to that of their classmates. The lack of well established assessment procedures related to National

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ART AND DESIGN

Curriculum levels means that planning does not take into account how pupils’ performance could be enhanced still further. Nevertheless, since the time of the last inspection, much of the work produced by pupils in other classes has improved and is of a better standard.

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ART AND DESIGN

108. By the age of 7, pupils mix colours successfully to vary shades and tones of both primary and secondary colours. They produce satisfactory observational drawings of each other and objects. Pupils recognise that by mixing paints, or by using pencils of a different thickness, they produce different effects. In connection with their work in science, pupils use chalks and pastels to produce observational drawings of fruits linked to their work about health and growth. The finished products are of a good standard. Pupils’ knowledge of the work of famous artists is satisfactory. They recall a range of information about L. S. Lowry and his work. They explain features of his work and choice of subject matter, making reference in particular to his buildings and people. Opportunities for pupils to produce their own designs are satisfactory and teachers provide some opportunities for pupils to use their own initiative. However, this would be greatly

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ART AND DESIGN

enhanced if teachers annotated pupils’ work as part of their marking policy.

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ART AND DESIGN

109. By the age of 11, pupils produce a range of observational drawings of objects and still life arrangements, including books, glass jars and bottles, using pencils, and of plants, using pencil crayons. Pupils have sketchbooks to practise their skills and for reference when completing their pictures. They have a satisfactory appreciation of colour as they create colour palettes and examine the use of colour in modern art. Pupils have the opportunity to examine the work of various artists and adapt the styles for use in their own work. Pupils in Year 4 recall the features of the work of Paul Klee and Year 5 pupils talk knowledgeably about Chinese art, including the Willow Pattern design and Chinese paper cuts. Some evidence was seen of pupils designing their own artefacts but not of more unusual creative work such as textiles, jewellery making or glass painting. Pupils make satisfactory use of the computer to help their learning in lessons.

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ART AND DESIGN

110. Pupils have very good attitudes to the subject, behave very well in lessons and most put a good deal of effort into their work. They are always ready to share resources and to help one another. They show a readiness to listen to and take on board constructive criticisms to help improve their work. Most pupils take a pride in their work and are keen to discuss the processes and techniques that they use. This was evident in a very good lesson observed in Year 2 where pupils produced work in the style of Lowry. Most pupils were keen to explain their developing skills in drawing industrial landscapes to show foreground, middle ground and background using pastels and charcoal as a medium to create ‘smudginess’. These positive attitudes and behaviour all helped to create a very good atmosphere in the class that contributed positively to pupils' learning.

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ART AND DESIGN

111. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers plan appropriate work and provide pupils with a range of good quality learning in most classes. Where it is good, pupils study the work of a wide range of well-known artists and evaluate art from other cultures. However, time to work with visiting artists is less readily available and visits to a range of places to see original works of art are also limited. A consistent strength of teaching is the good range St Leonard's CE Primary School of strategies teachers use to manage pupils, and the importance attached to celebrating pupils’ achievements. There are some creative displays of pupils' work, for example those in Years 4 and 5. Pupils enhance their learning through the good use of sketchbooks for experimenting with media and effects. Teachers provide good opportunities to develop pupils' technical skills and as a result their drawings and paintings are often good. Work to develop pupils' creativity through the design process is

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ART AND DESIGN

less well developed. Teachers’ own knowledge and understanding of the subject is satisfactory. Large paintings, sculpture and other three-dimensional work are, however, underrepresented. Too little use is made of the checks on pupils' work to help pupils' improve their work. In one lesson observed the teacher did not provide pupils with time to discuss their work or explain to their classmates how they envisaged the end product.

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ART AND DESIGN

112. The co-ordination for the subject is underdeveloped because the co-ordinator has not yet had the opportunity to influence change. There are few formal systems in place to monitor the quality of teaching and learning in the subject throughout the school. Assessment procedures have yet to be fully developed so that teachers can monitor pupils’ performance more rigorously and compare their achievements with those that pupils achieve nationally. However, in spite of these shortcomings teachers know pupils very well and have a good personal knowledge of individual pupils' progress.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

113. Pupils reach average standards by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Their achievement is satisfactory. The organisation of the school’s timetable meant that no lessons were taught during the inspection. Improvement has been good since the time of the previous inspection.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

114. The main strengths are: • pupils design, make and evaluate their work very effectively; • leadership of the subject is good.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

115. The main areas to develop are: • a system for teachers to check pupils’ attainment and review their progress; • teachers use of information and communication technology; • the co-ordinator to monitor teaching and learning.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

116. Throughout the school pupils make satisfactory progress. This is because teachers organise the work so that pupils plan their designs, evaluate and adapt them to make successful products. This was evident when Year 5 pupils made detailed designs for slippers and adapted the designs as they made the slippers. Year 2 pupils designed and made fruit salad. They made decisions about the type of fruit to use, such as crunchy, soft or juicy. Discussion with Year 6 pupils shows that they have used a suitable range of tools in their work such as saws and glue guns and that they have learned to use tools safely. They enjoy the work, for example when they designed and made story boxes for reception children. Teachers plan the work so that all pupils are included, for example pupils with special educational needs and pupils with English as an additional language. Therefore, they make the same progress as their classmates. Information and

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

communication technology is used to support pupils’ learning. For example, as part of their lessons at the local high school, Year 6 used computer-aided design and manufacture to design and make chess pieces.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

117. Leadership is good: the co-ordinator knows the strengths in the subject and what needs to be developed. She has acted upon this information to bring about some good improvements, for example in the teaching of the design element of the subject in Years 1 to 2. She has looked at the way teachers and pupils use resources and tools, and has compiled a useful photographic record of pupils’ work across the school. Management of St Leonard's CE Primary School the subject is satisfactory. The co-ordinator does not check and review systematically the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning in lessons. Teachers check informally pupils’ work but they do not have a formal system to check pupils’ attainment and review regularly their progress. Therefore, the co-ordinator and teachers do not have precise information about the progress that individual pupils make as they move through the school. The co-

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

ordinator has the ability, commitment and support to develop the subject further.

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GEOGRAPHY

118. The last time the school was inspected the standards in geography were in line with national expectations. Since then standards have remained at the same level for pupils in Years 1 and 2 and pupils make satisfactory progress. It is not possible to make a judgement about standards by the end of Year 6 because the pupils have done a limited amount of geography so far in Year 6. The school plans to do the main geographic study of the locality next term after the National Curriculum tests. Pupils by the end of Year 5 currently make good progress. Three geography lessons were seen during the inspection. The quality of teaching and learning in lessons observed was good. The arrangements for supporting pupils with special educational needs with their learning are very good and ensure they make appropriate gains in their knowledge and understanding of the subject.

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GEOGRAPHY

119. By the end of Year 2, pupils have a good knowledge of the locality. Teachers satisfactorily draw pupils’ attention to similarities and differences between places in which people live. Pupils express some preferences for their own homes or the houses in which close relatives live. Many pupils explain the routes they need to take to travel between various familiar places such as school, home and places where family members or friends live. Pupils gain some knowledge and understanding of different localities and compare similarities and differences between where they live and places they have visited for holidays. Several pupils name cities they have visited and explain the difference between a town and a city. Pupils have been given fewer opportunities to use research materials, such as maps, atlases or globes, but can explain how they are used and what information they provide by referring to the use their parents make of them

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GEOGRAPHY

120. Pupils in Years 4 and 5 have a good knowledge and understanding of weather conditions and how they are represented symbolically on maps. They relate such conditions to the different seasons. A minority of Year 6 pupils have some awareness of more topical environmental issues such as the destruction of forests, but their inability to clearly express their views by using appropriate vocabulary impedes their ability to present convincing opinions. Teachers give pupils opportunities to study other world locations, and in Years 3, 4 and 5 they study Peru and Dominica. Learning is best in one class where the lessons are brought to life through the use of lively and stimulating teaching methods. In discussion with pupils in Year 6 their breadth of knowledge and understanding of the subject is weak. They have some grasp of the water cycle, but are not familiar with vocabulary associated with rivers or mountains although they have a

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GEOGRAPHY

better understanding of terms such as continent, town, city and country and can explain the relationship between them.

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GEOGRAPHY

121. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 make satisfactory progress in their lessons because they are taught the subject regularly and teachers use guidance documents well to inform their planning. In Year 3 pupil progress is more variable because the work is not always sufficiently challenging or stimulating. It is in Years 4 and 5 that pupils make the best progress. This is because in those classes the subject is well taught and the work is stimulating and interesting. The vast majority of pupils respond positively to their work, behave well and take pride in their achievements. In lessons where this enthusiasm is St Leonard's CE Primary School evident pupils make more progress in their learning, such as in a Year 5 lesson observed during the inspection.

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GEOGRAPHY

122. Teaching over time is satisfactory in most classes, especially where planning is thorough and well focused such as in Years 3, 4 and 5 but, elsewhere, it does not always reflect expectations of pupils’ performance that are high enough. A developing strength in these classes is the emphasis placed upon developing geographical terminology so that pupils become increasingly confident to use it in their written work and group discussions. For the oldest pupils too few opportunities are provided for debate linked to real life experience and current local, national and international issues so that the subject comes to life. Throughout the school, pupils’ work is not marked well enough and does not include dialogue to encourage pupils to think about their work. The marking is cursory and indicates work is correct without commenting on pupils’ learning or what is needed to improve. Often work completed on loose sheets of paper or commercially produced

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GEOGRAPHY

123. Pupils benefit from effectively planned visits and residential field trips. Pupils in Year 6 were especially enthusiastic when they discussed the proposed residential visit planned for the summer term. Other pupils benefit from visiting a nearby village to compare and contrast localities. The school makes use of the guidance document available from the local education authority, but its use is inconsistent from class to class. Staff changes in the coordination of geography have resulted in more limited development of assessment and monitoring of the subject.

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HISTORY

124. Pupils reach average standards by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Their achievement is satisfactory. Two lessons were seen in Years 3 to 6. Improvement has been satisfactory since the time of the previous inspection.

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HISTORY

125. The strengths in the subject are: • the history week enhances pupils’ learning; • the Year 6 teacher uses pupils’ literacy skills very effectively.

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HISTORY

126. The areas to develop are: • the range of teaching strategies; • the presentation and marking of pupils’ work; • a system for teachers to check pupils’ attainment and review their progress; • the co-ordinator checks and reviews teaching and learning.

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HISTORY

127. Each year the school has a curriculum week which this year will focus on history. All children and staff are encouraged to dress up as a historical character on the final day and work during the week will focus on bringing history alive, such as acting out the role of Victorians in Year 2 and designing and making Viking ships in Year 3. At other times teachers are less effective, for example in teaching the pupils how to place different periods in history in the correct time order, or make clear links between the various topics that pupils cover. This was evident in Year 6. Some pupils are not aware of the gap in time between the two World Wars. Many pupils explain what is meant by evacuees but do not connect evacuees with the Blitz.

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HISTORY

128. Pupils make satisfactory progress across the school. Year 2 pupils develop soundly their knowledge and understanding of famous people, such as Mary Seacole. A pupil wrote: ‘Mary Seacole went a long way to help the soldiers in the Crimea. She was brave and helped the wounded people’. From Years 3 to 6 pupils build steadily upon their skills, for example in their knowledge and understanding of periods in the past such as life in Ancient Greece in Year 4. St Leonard's CE Primary School 129. The Year 6 teacher uses very effectively pupils’ literacy skills to extend pupils’ learning, for example about life in the trenches in World War 1. An average attaining pupil wrote: ‘The lice have started eating into my flesh and the smell of rotting bodies is making me sick’. Another pupil wrote: ‘There is no sign of this horrific war ceasing and with still no reply from mother I’m wondering whether to continue’. On the other hand in Years 3 to 5

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HISTORY

this good practice is not evident. Also, these teachers do not make enough use of information and communication technology to support pupils’ learning.

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HISTORY

130. Pupils with special educational needs and the few pupils who speak English as an additional language make satisfactory progress. This is because teachers give them the extra support that they need to carry out the same work as their classmates.

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HISTORY

131. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. This is evident in the lessons and in pupils’ work. Teachers manage pupils’ behaviour very well through the very good relationships that they have with them. Therefore, pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to the work are very good. This contributes significantly to their learning. They listen attentively, are keen to answer teachers’ questions and complete the written work.

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HISTORY

132. On the other hand, the teaching has some shortcomings. Teachers tend to over-direct the work and use limited methods for recording it, such as putting the correct words into the gaps in a text and worksheets. Therefore, pupils produce work that is very similar in content. The methods used provide little challenge for average and higher attaining pupils and limit the opportunity for pupils to think for themselves and show what they know and understand. Teachers’ expectations of the presentation of pupils’ work are not consistently high enough. For example, work that is on loose-leaf paper is not always dated or filed systematically.

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HISTORY

133. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The co-ordinator is new to the role this year. She is aware of the strengths and some of the areas that need to be developed, such as teachers matching the work more closely to pupils’ varying learning needs. She has started to check pupils’ work and talk to them about it. However, the co- ordinator does not check systematically the quality of teaching and learning in order to have a clear overall view of teaching and standards in the subject. Teachers check informally pupils’ work in lessons but they do not have a formal system for this. Therefore, the co-ordinator and teachers do not have precise information about the attainment and progress of individual pupils as they move through the school. The co- ordinator has the enthusiasm, commitment and support to develop the subject further.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

134. By the end of Years 2 and 6, pupils' attainment in information and communication technology is in line with national expectations. This represents good improvement since the last inspection. The quality of teaching is good. Pupils achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. Pupils identified as having special educational needs make good progress. Those pupils who learn English as an additional language also make good progress. There is no marked difference in the attainment of girls and boys.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

135. Teachers in Years 1 and 2 have a good knowledge of the subject and provide a good range of work for pupils. Pupils properly program a floor robot to move forwards, backwards and sideways. Year 1 pupils use an art program to draw houses and print off their designs. Computer skills are used extensively to support pupils' learning in literacy. For example, Year 1 pupils added their addresses to the houses they designed on the computer. Year 2 pupils used computers to write the instructions on how to make a cup of tea. Pupils work with confidence on the computer whatever work they are doing. They correctly access programs, save and print work. St Leonard's CE Primary School 136. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 gain in confidence and competence working with computers. They access the Internet and use it effectively. Pupils email pupils in a school in the United States of America. Year 6 pupils complete work of good quality on a Logo project.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Teachers make good use of other subjects to develop pupils' information and communication technology skills. Teachers are also skilled at using computers to support pupils' learning in other subjects. For example, pupils use CD-ROMs to find out information for history topics. They use a program in mathematics to develop their understanding of symmetry. Year 4 pupils also enhance their mathematical learning through work of very good quality on branching databases that identified fruits from around the world. They accurately compiled a decision tree diagram. Year 5 pupils extended their learning in science by accurately producing graphs to illustrate soil temperatures and wind speed. Pupils use the digital camera and scanner effectively to develop their learning in a number of subjects as well as extending their skills in information and communication technology.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

137. Teachers develop pupils' literacy skills well during word-processing exercises. For example, Year 6 pupils produced very high quality work when they wrote poems about a 'Waterfall'. Year 3 pupils wrote good quality book reviews using the computer. Year 4 pupils' work on ancient Greek gods and goddesses was also of a good standard. In a Year 6 literacy lesson, pupils used the Internet effectively to find magazine titles to support their learning about newspapers. Teachers plan their work very carefully so there is a link with other subjects, and at the same time pupils develop their information and communication technology skills. This was exemplified in a very good Year 4 lesson in which pupils designed a duvet cover and curtains using an art program. They produced work of very good quality involving repeating patterns. Pupils confidently used the program, including the full range of 'tools' available. For example, they changed the

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

138. Lesson planning is good and ensures pupils' work becomes harder as they move though the school. The skills they learn develop in an appropriate order. Pupils are very enthusiastic and interested when they use computers. They work well together and with perseverance. The co-ordinator leads the subject very successfully and has clear plans for the subject's continued development, together with the ability, support and commitment to implement them successfully. Procedures for checking pupils' progress are good. This helps teachers to develop pupils' learning at a good rate.

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MUSIC

139. Pupils reach average standards by the end of Year 2 and their achievement is satisfactory. The organisation of the school’s timetable meant that one lesson was seen in Year 2. Insufficient music lessons were observed in Years 3 to 6 to make a judgement about standards or the quality of teaching by the end of Year 6. It is reported by the school that more music will be taught in Year 6 in the summer term.

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MUSIC

140. The main strengths are: • the good leadership of the co-ordinator; • the curriculum is enhanced by visits out and visitors to the school; • extra tuition for playing instruments extends very well some pupils’ learning.

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MUSIC

141. The main areas to improve are: • staff confidence and expertise in the teaching of composition; • a system for teachers to check pupils’ attainment and review their progress. St Leonard's CE Primary School 142. The co-ordinator shows good leadership of the subject. In the last two years she has put in place a new policy and national guidance for the subject. She has also arranged for specialists to visit the school, for example in Indian music, and visits out of school, for example a Year 6 visit to a workshop with the Halle orchestra. These activities make a positive contribution to the curriculum and to pupils’ cultural development. She is keen to develop the use of information and communication technology further to support pupils' learning. Currently, its use is satisfactory. The management of the subject is less well developed than the leadership aspects of it. The co-ordinator has started to interview

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MUSIC

pupils about their work. However, she does not check systematically the quality of teaching and learning in lessons in order to have a clear overall view of teaching and standards. The co-ordinator has the enthusiasm, commitment and support to develop the subject further.

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MUSIC

143. The school provides for extra tuition for pupils from visiting specialists, for example in violin, flute and clarinet. This extends very well the learning of the pupils who take part in it. This was evident in a lesson for two flute players, and in an assembly when pupils played the clarinet, flute and piano as their schoolmates entered and left the hall. Pupils’ performance is of a very good standard. Across the school the standard of singing is good. Pupils sing tunefully and enunciate the words clearly, for example when they sing Love is something if you give it away. The choir performs in concerts in the school and in the community, for example at Blackburn Cathedral.

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MUSIC

144. Teaching was satisfactory in the lesson observed during the inspection. The learning of most pupils was satisfactory. The teacher manages pupils’ behaviour very well through the very good relationship that she has with them. She praises them frequently for their efforts and this raises their self-esteem. Therefore, pupils are enthusiastic, keen to learn, and genuinely enjoy their music making activities. The teacher encourages pupils to use the correct technical words and pupils know the names of a variety of percussion instruments, such as triangle and drum. They identify and play ‘long’ and ‘short’ sounds on the instruments. A shortcoming in the lesson was that the teacher did not give pupils enough time to explore and play the instruments in order to develop their skills further.

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MUSIC

145. Pupils with special educational needs and pupils who speak English as an additional language make the same progress as their classmates. This is because the teacher includes them fully in the activities. On the other hand the progress of a significant minority of pupils is unsatisfactory because they are withdrawn from music lessons for extra tuition in reading this term.

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MUSIC

146. Throughout the school, teachers check informally pupils’ work but they do not have a formal system to check pupils’ attainment and review regularly their progress. Therefore, the co-ordinator and teachers do not have precise information about the progress that individual pupils make as they move through the school.

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MUSIC

147. Year 6 pupils explored and created their own music in a series of lessons last year taken by a visiting specialist. This year the school plans to teach more music in Year 6 in the summer term. Therefore, the teacher is not reinforcing and building upon pupils’ skills regularly enough to consolidate them. As a result, pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills are currently below the level expected for this age. This is evident in their knowledge of technical words such as pitch (high or low) and dynamics (loud or soft) or the correct names for percussion instruments. The co-ordinator has identified the need to improve staff confidence in teaching composition. She has the commitment and support to improve the subject further.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

148. Standards of attainment by the end of Year 6 are above national expectations for pupils this age. Pupils attain nationally expected standards in swimming. Examples of St Leonard's CE Primary School movement, floor work and large apparatus work were seen from the school's physical education programme that covered all areas of learning required by the National Curriculum. Pupils make good progress, including those identified as having special educational needs. Although the difference in the level of performance between boys and girls is not very marked, girls do perform better quality movements than boys. No lessons were observed in Years 1 and 2, therefore no judgement is made about standards of attainment of the quality of teaching within these year groups.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

149. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers provide pupils with many opportunities to be inventive and creative; to use their initiative; to organise themselves; to make decisions; and evaluate their work. Teachers' planning ensures pupils' learning becomes more demanding and skills develop at an appropriate rate as pupils move through the school. Pupils' physical education learning is enhanced by a good range of sporting extra-curricular activities.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

150. Pupils made very good progress in a Year 4 gymnastics lesson. The teacher's very good organisation, high expectations of standards and behaviour and effective explanation of how to improve movements contributed to the good standards. There was effective use of demonstration and pupils' own evaluation of their work. This led to improved standards. Pupils behaved very well and had high levels of concentration. This ensured they worked as hard as possible and no time was wasted. This made a significant contribution to their very good progress. All pupils wear suitable clothing for lessons, and usually teachers are appropriately dressed for physical education lessons. There is due regard given to health and safety throughout physical education lessons. Although there are no formal procedures for checking pupils' progress, teachers know the pupils well and build on their learning effectively because of this. The co-ordinator is new to the post, but

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

the high level of pupils' performance and the good quality of teaching suggests that the subject has been well led and managed. He monitors teaching and learning very effectively. The new co-ordinator has the skills and experience at least to maintain the current good qualities evident in physical education within the school. The school has made good improvement since the last inspection.

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